Flashcards

Case Study #1:

Groupthink in temporary organizations

http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Markus_Haellgren/publication/228626771_Groupthink_in_temporary_organizations/links/02bfe512ce5f824c5f000000.pdf

1. What features of groupthink can you identify in the case study?

Cohesive Group was the entire group that had the goal of reaching the top, but with individual goals and motivations. The majority of the group was inexperienced. The structure was isolating because each team was isolated from the others even though they made the summit push together. There was promotional leadership because the leaders felt the requirement to put clients on the top in order to secure future business and most often all decisions went through the leaders. The group was homogenous because they were highly motivated clients who all paid a lot to reach the top and they were often inexperienced. The context of the hike was a provocative context and external threat because there were several commercial expeditions. Lastly, there was low self-esteem from previous failures because the expedition leaders had both failed previously to put clients on the top. 

2. What types of strategies could you deploy to overcome groupthink in this situation?

Some practices to avoid groupthink including: using a predetermined critical evaluator; refusing to allow the permanent organization to voice objections about personnel; using several working groups; examining all alternatives; discussing the task with people outside of the project; inviting experts to contribute; using a devil’s advocate; examining warnings and including open sessions to reconsider alternatives. In a typical project setting, not all of these options are available but this analysis suggests that under some circumstances project managers should be aware of the inherent danger of the structure and therefore consider the options above. Groupthink is a balancing act between freedom, efficiency and fast decisions, which is isn’t easy in certain situations. Finally, no one should ever be punished for whistle blowing. Avoiding groupthink means that everybody should be free to express an opinion.

3. What are the practical implications for managing team problems such as groupthink as a real world leader?

Managing groupthink as a real world leader is important to running a successful group for a variety of reasons. Groupthink results from antecedents including group cohesiveness, structural faults of the organization, and a provocative situational context. This type of thinking can lead to an incomplete survey of alternatives, a failure to reexamine the preferred choice and rejected alternatives, poor information search and selective bias in processing information. It is important when managing a team to watch out for these problems while leading the group.

Case Study #2:

How NOT to Manage a Project: Conflict Management Lessons Learned from a DOD Case Study

http://www.ibam.com/pubs/jbam/articles/vol8/no3/jbam_8_3_4.pdf<%22>

1. What are some lessons learned from this case in terms of a conflict management perspective that you can identify from this case?

There are three different types of conflict they are, interpersonal-based conflict, task-based conflict, and process-based conflict. Interpersonal-based conflict deals with relationship tension between interdepartmental and intradepartmental individuals.  Task-based conflict deals with tension that stems from whether or not certain tasks, or requirements in the case of project management, should be pursued.  Process-based conflict deals with tension that stems from whether or not certain tasks, or requirements in the case of project management should be pursued. In regards to the case it is emphasized that conflict stems from deviations, with the people, plan, or process. 

2. What specific strategies would you use or actions could you take to identify and resolve conflict in this case?

There are many specific strategies and actions that I take to identify and resolve the conflict in the case. You can use the project-conflict management framework to identify and resolve conflict. The steps of the framework are as follows. 1) Identification of conflict as the problem 2) Identification of symptoms of the problem and classification of them as interpersonal, task-, or process-based conflict 3) Setting strategy selection criteria 4) Identification of alternative conflict handling intention strategies for each symptom based on domain classification [Avoiding (Neglecting, Withdrawing), Competing (Asserting, Distributive, Dominating, Forcing), Accommodating (Appeasing, Obliging), Compromise (Sharing), and Collaboration (Integration, Problem-Solving)] 5) Selection of conflict handling intention strategies for each symptom identified, many of which may need to be employed concurrently 6) Implementation of selected conflict handling intention strategies, concurrently if necessary.

3. What conflict styles would be the most effective in this situation?

For interpersonal-based conflict management the compromise or collaboration strategy would be the most effective. While the collaboration strategy may take the longest of all strategies to implement it is important that both sides of a team are in full agreement about the details on the project.

For task-based conflict management the competing, compromise, or collaboration strategy are the most effective. If the project stakeholder has very little power or influence, and is not in a position to detrimentally impact the project, then the project manager may want to use the competing strategy. If the project stakeholder holds a fair amount of power and influence, and is in a position to detrimentally impact the project, the project manager would want to use the collaboration strategy if time permits or the compromise strategy if time is of the essence.

For process-based conflict strategy the competing or compromise strategy are the most effective. When steps in the process are mandated, the project manager should use a competing strategy to get all project stakeholders to comply with the required steps. When the steps allow for flexibility in the guidelines, then the project manager has some leeway, and therefore, may want to use a compromising strategy so that all project stakeholders have some input in the process where possible.

4. What are the practical implications for dealing with team problems as a real world leader?

Often, the effectiveness of individual employees and the entire organization depends on how conflict is managed at work. It is important to identify which type of conflict, interpersonal-based conflict, task-based conflict, and process-based conflict you have within you team. From here as a team leader you can use the conflict style that will be most effective. When conflict arises within your team it is important to not avoid the conflict and instead find a solution.

Additional Resources

Articles on Teams

When One Team Member Is Ruining Your Team

https://hbr.org/2008/10/when-one-team-member-is-ruinin

Eight Common Problems Teams Encounter

http://workplacepsychology.net/2010/12/17/eight-common-problems-teams-encounter/

What to Do With Your Problem Team Member

http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/news_articles/2014/11072014-bad-team-member.aspx

Avoiding Groupthink

https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_82.htm

Volkswagen: Was it Blind Ambition or Groupthink?

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/volkswagen-story-groupthink-dr-marla-gottschalk

Happy Talk and the Dangers of Groupthink

http://time.com/3668083/happy-talk-groupthink-leadership/

A Brief History of Groupthink

https://yalealumnimagazine.com/articles/1947/a-brief-history-of-groupthink

Penn State Cover-Up:  Groupthink in Action

http://ideas.time.com/2012/07/17/penn-state-cover-up-group-think-in-action/

Conflict Style Questionnaire

http://academic.engr.arizona.edu/vjohnson/ConflictManagementQuestionnaire/ConflictManagementQuestionnaire.asp

Five Keys of Dealing with Workplace Conflict

http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikemyatt/2012/02/22/5-keys-to-dealing-with-workplace-conflict/

Managing Conflict

http://www.inc.com/magazine/20100701/managing-conflict.html

Secret Art of Negotiating: Take Your Ego Off the Table

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/10/08/the-secret-art-of-negotiating-take-your-ego-off-the-table/

5 Things You Should Never Say While Negotiating

http://www.inc.com/guides/2011/01/five-things-to-never-say-while-negotiating.html

How to Turn Around a Team

http://www.success.com/article/how-to-turn-around-a-team

The Tough Work of Turning Around a Team

https://hbr.org/2000/11/the-tough-work-of-turning-around-a-team

Ten Ways to Turnaround a Dysfunctional Team

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2012/01/17/ten-ways-to-turnaround-a-dysfunctional-team/

Eight Steps to Reverse a Negative Culture

http://www.inc.com/ilan-mochari/culture-change-parcells.html

How Penguin Leadership will Change Your Team Culture

http://michaelhyatt.com/how-penguin-leadership-will-change-your-team-culture.html

Videos on Teams

Daniel Goleman and Bill George: Dangers of Groupthink

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubHEssty_HM

Bay of Pigs Invasion:  How Groupthink Created a Brilliant Disaster

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glUUmsBb_58

Wiser:  Getting Beyond Groupthink to Make Groups Smarter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ-F26BPQrA

Four Tips for Managing Conflict

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJiJ95mHftE

TED: Conflict Negotiation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xCkhV7zhuw

Five Conflict Management Styles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5sBRLZLPTY&list=PL5EBFF28B8AB68F74

The Office: Conflict Resolution

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCHSeP9t6CQ

Books on Teams

Souza, B. (2015). The Weekly Coaching Conversation: A Business Fable about Taking Your Team’s Performance and Your Career to the Next Level.  New York: Productivitydrivers.

Lencioni, P. (2002).  Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable. San Francisco:  Josse-Bass.

Runde, C. & Flanagan, T. (2008).  Building Conflict Competent Teams.  San Francisco: Josse-Bass.

Mitchell, B. & Gamlem, C. (2015). The Essential Workplace Conflict Handbook: A Quick and Handy Resource for Any Manager, Team Leader and HR Professional.  Wayne, NJ: Career Press.

Kusy, M. & Holloway, E. (2009). Toxic Workplace!: Managing Toxic Personalities and Their Systems of Power.  San Francisco:  Jossey-Bass. 

Fisher, R., Ury, W. & Patton, B. (2011). Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In.  London: Penguin Publishers.

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